Improvement in gates



M. PACKARD.

Gate. v

Patented Oct. 23, 1866.

@m ffiy N. PETERS. mlu-umo n mn Washingian n. c.

* -1'rn'rns PATE T OFFICE.

' MANNING PACKARD, OF CLARENDON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,060., dated October23, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANNING PACKARD, of Clarendon, in the county ofOrleans and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Farm-Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved gate; Fig. 2, across-section of the same in the plane of line :0 00, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in both figures.

My invention belongs to that class known as slide-gates, and itconsists, essentially, in the employment of parallel extension bars orboards, forming a part of the gate, in combination with an arrangementof grooved friction-rollers, pivoted to posts in such a manner that therollers are made to operate between two of the extension-bars andsupportand balance the gate in any position; also, in an arrangement foradjusting the gate to a high or low position, according to theconditions of vthe weather, and avoid snow and other ob-v structionswhich might prevent the easy opcration of the gate.

As represented in the drawings, the gate proper, A, is composed ofparallel bars or boards a a a, secured to cross cleats or slats f f andbraces g g in the ordinary manner, the upper three bars formingextensions I) c d, as represented, for the purposes presently to be ex.plained. At suitable distances apart are set posts B C D in the ground.To the posts C D are pivoted friction-rollers h h, which operate, andfill the space between, the bars b c or c d, being grooved to receivethe bars, resting in the same on opposite sides.

The rollers support the gate, and allow the same to be easily movedbackward and forward.

The grooves are'made sufficiently deep to prevent the bars from becomingdetached or disconnected from the rollers when in operation by lateralaction.

In order that the slats ff and braces g g will not interrupt the passageof the rollers in the backward and forward motions of the gate, theextension bars or boards are not secured directly to the slats, butblocks it are placed between the same, leaving sufficient strikes into acorresponding socket in the post B, (shown in dotted lin es,'1 ig. 1,)which supports the front end of the gate, and prevents sagging of thesame.

Beneath the gate, to-the post 0, is secured a guide, m, which serves tohold the bottom ot'the gate steadily and in place, and prevents anylateral motion.

A catch, a, engaging with pin 0, serves to hold the gate closed. The pinalso serves as a stop in the opening of the gate.

A device has already been patented in which a single extension-bar orguide operating between two rollers is employed, the gate being providedwith sockets or depressions on the lower side, which drop over therollers, either in the extreme open or closed positions, and hold thegate in place. The principal object in the use of this single extensionis simply to serve as v a guide, and to connect a weight or spring toproduce the reaction of the gate in closing. This single bar couldscarcely serve to sustain the weight of a heavy farm-gate, as it wouldbend and warp in-such a degree as to render it inoperative in passingover the rollers and, besides, the inventor had no such design, as heemploys a separate roller under the main part of the gate. I

In my arrangement the two parallel extension-bars b c or c d form astiff connection, and, being separated at considerable distance, aremade to operate on opposite sides of the rollers, as shown in thedrawings, and the weight of the gate does not bear upon either baralone, but the great strain produced is divided and is shared by both,and the bars being braced sustain each other. The advantages of thisarrangement will be readily understood. Instead of a single bar passingbetween two rollers, as in the case referred to, Iemploy two parallelbars, operating on opposite sides of two rollers.

Another important feature in my invention consists in an arrangement foradjusting the gate A to a high or low position, according to theconditions of the weather. In the winter when the snow is so deep as toobstruct the passage of the gate, by removing the pin or stop 0 the gatemay he slid backward, so as to become entirely disconnected from therollers h h, when it may be raised, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,and the rollers then made to operate between the bars or boards I) 0pre-' cisely in the same manner as before described.

By the arrangement of the rollers h h, operating between theextension-bars b 0 or c d, the gate is at all times perfectly sustained,whether closed or open or in an intermediate position; and by theemployment of three or more extensiorrbars, as shown and described, boththe advantages of a slide and adjustable gate are secured, and form avery simple and effective arrangement. I

I do not claim a single extension-bar running between rollers, as I amaware that the same is not new; but

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. Sustaining the weight of a gate and allowing it a free action bymeans of two eX-' tension-bars braced together and running onfriction-rollers h h situated between them, the whole arranged andoperating as herein set forth.

2. The employment of a series of extension- MANNING PACKARD.

Witnesses:

It. F. ()seoon, Z. L. DAVIS.

